


Pining for What is Mine

by Twin_Kitten



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Background GingerRose, Comedy of Errors, Courting Rituals, Eventual Smut, Everyone is confused., F/M, Mutual Pining, Omega Verse, Panic Attacks, Reylo - Freeform, Romance, Winter Fic Exchange, Writing Den, misunderstood love languages, there will be smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-13 01:15:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16882842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twin_Kitten/pseuds/Twin_Kitten
Summary: Rey has a crush on the hot Alpha who keeps coming to the bar she frequents, but he doesn't seem to notice her. Ben is a fool with too much pride to say or do anything about the Omega who keeps leaving her scent all over the bar. When Rose forces Rey to talk to Ben while she flirts with Hux, things go awry. And things keep getting more confusing for Ben and Rey.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [deadlikemoi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadlikemoi/gifts).



> For Amanda, aka, Deadlikemoi who asked for some ABO smut! The smut will come, I promise.

Rey cupped her chin in her hand, staring at the handsome man across the room, sighing softly every few minutes. She’d noticed him the moment he first walked into the bar nearly a month ago, and every time since. It helped that he was tall, dark, and smelled like pure Alpha.

 

Rose, having witnessed this pining for the past month, was fed up with it. Add in the slim redhead that Rose had been lusting over, though far more subtly than Rey, and it was time to do something about it. “Okay, enough. You are a smart, beautiful, independant Omega. Every time you see him, you get all submissive. Just go up to him already! Or at least walk by and give him sexy eyes....”

 

Rey frowned, her forehead scrunching as her shoulders inched up to her ears. Rose was right, but Rey couldn’t help being annoyed that the Alpha hadn’t noticed her yet. But other than occasionally lifting his head and seeming to sniff at the air, he never took notice of her. Never looked for her, never spoke to her, nothing.

 

Which, since he was an Alpha, meant that he couldn’t smell her in the crowded bar. Or, in a cruel turn of fate, he could smell her and wasn’t interested.

 

Which would be crushing, since he smelled better than anyone she had ever scented before. Like hot apple cider and cinnamon, and musky Alpha male. She had never reacted to Alphas like this, some smelled okay, some smelled awful, but for the most part none of them interested her enough to push past her nerves. But she was  _ very _ interested in this man. Obscenely interested. If he could smell her and was even half as interested as she was, he should have been searching every corner of the bar for her.

 

She shrugged, “I don’t know, Rose. I’m not really that girl.” Rey, for all her independence and determination to rise above the hand she had been dealt… was shy around men, especially Alphas. She didn’t date much and, though no one knew, she was still a virgin who went through her heats with a mix of drugs and crying since she was too scared to buy a dildo.

 

Her room-mate and best friend rolled her eyes, glancing over at the group the man was sitting with. “Well, I am. That redhead smells like Christmas and I want to unwrap my gifts, if you know what I mean.” She tossed back her lemon drop, urged Rey to do the same with her rum and coke, and grabbed her hand, dragging her across the room.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ben was yet again at the Orbit, a bar he and his friends had been frequenting lately. He would never admit it, in fact he even put up a light protest every time his friends wanted to go there, but secretly was desperate to go back. He had to find whatever Omega smelled so good. But it never failed; when he went to the bar alone to search out the elusive scent that kept him dreaming of a sweet little Omega, it was gone, and when he went with his small pack of friends, the scent was strong.

 

And it was true again tonight. The rich scent of vanilla and burnt sugar was wafting through the bar despite the smell of alcohol and sweaty desperate people of all designations. Who ever this Omega was, she was making his head spin, his cock hard, and his instincts wild. She was here, he knew it, but he didn’t dare show weakness in front of Hux, Phasma, Poe.

 

Close as he was with them, and despite the confidence that went with being an Alpha, he wasn’t the type of man who could pursue a girl with his friends watching. They would mock him mercilessly. Lovingly, but mercilessly.

 

They were friends, but they were also Alphas. No weakness allowed. Alphas were competitive by nature, and in a group like theirs they had to be careful not to disrupt the careful but unofficial hierarchy. So he was forced to confine his search to quick glances around the room, and trying to get up and go to the bathroom or get refills while sniffing around as subtly as possible.

 

Glancing up as he sipped his scotch, he caught sight of a petite asian girl urging a tanned brunette to down her drink. He watched out the corner of his eye, and suppressed a smirking smile as the girl begrudgingly did it. Then, looking for all the world like a tugboat, the smaller girl grabbed the taller girl’s wrist, and began hauling her across the bar towards them. Ben found himself hoping one of them was the Omega that was driving him crazy.

 

He unknowingly straightened his back, his shoulders rolling back to puff his chest slightly, his head tilting to let his hair cover his ears and let the glands on his neck catch the slight breeze from the heater vents so his scent would spread.  _ Which of you is mine? _ His brain seemed to whisper.

 

Hux had been involved in a conversation with Poe, Phasma chuckling at something or other as the two men playfully argued, when the red-head whipped around and wrinkled his nose. “The fuck Solo, why are you stinking up the place?” Instantly, the other two Alphas had straightened and were paying attention, if Ben was throwing his pheromones around, something was going on.

 

Ben didn’t say anything, only elbowing Hux roughly, and turning to fully look at the young women who were now standing next to their table. Within moments he knew which of them smelled so delicious. The shorter girl smelled alright, all Omegas had some appeal, with her own mix of honey and something floral, but she didn’t hold a candle to the taller one. She was the one that had been tempting him.

 

But she stayed tucked slightly behind the other girl, barely looking up and only in quick glances that revealed not much more than a bright red blush of embarrassment. But he kept his eyes on her even as the other girl stuck out her hand, mostly at Hux.  _ Look at me, little Omega, sniff me. I’d be such a good Alpha for you. _

 

“Hi there. I’m Rose.” She smiled at all of them but there was a bit of an extra twinkle in her eye and a dimple in her smile when she looked at Hux.

 

Hux did not miss those little signs and was quick to lean forward to grasp her hand and bring it to his mouth to kiss the back of it, his own nose twitching as he caught her scent. “Armitage Hux.” As an afterthought he glanced at the other three around him and quickly rattled off their names with quick motions of his hand, “Poe, Phasma, and Ben,” before turning his full attention back to Rose. “To what do I owe the pleasure, beautiful Rose?”

 

Rose grinned a bit brighter, tilting her head invitingly and showing off her neck, and Ben could feel the flare of Hux’s scent making his nose itch. “Well, my friend Rey and I,” At the mention of the other girl’s name, Rose tugged her hand and Rey was brought to stand next to her, a half step closer to Ben and he smiled at her as gently as he could. “We were sitting over there, and I couldn’t help noticing that you could use a few more girls in your little group. Just to even it out...”

 

Hux grinned and immediately pushed at Ben, urging him out of the booth so Rose could sit next to him. “Of course, please join me.”

 

Ben grunted, distracted from looking at Rey by Hux’s shoving, and he glanced at the redhead who gave him a dark look, prompting him to move, before turning smiles on Rose. Ben grumbled, standing up to let Rose slide in next to Hux. Phasma, mated to her own Omega, smirked knowingly behind her glass, while playboy Poe stared at them in confusion.

 

On the plus side, giving in to Hux’s pushing let him stand up in close proximity to Rey. He stood to his full height, flexing his shoulders and arms so that the fabric of his shirt pulled tight, and he felt his eyelids droop in a heavy lidded seductive stare. There were some things about being an Alpha that Ben could control. His need to posture and present himself to his advantage for an Omega, especially one who smelled like she was his, was not one of the things he could control.

 

As Rose integrated herself into the group with a seamless social ease that Ben envied, he waited for Rey to look up and he stuck his own hand towards her, eager to feel her skin on his. “Hey, I’m Ben.”

 

She swallowed, looking at his hand, then darting a glance up at his face before back to his hand. “Hi, yeah… Um... Rey.” She started to reach out, but the ashy smell of fear burned through the air and her hand trembled before jerking back. Her eyes were wide, pupils blown in what he wished were the same arousal he was feeling, but was obviously fear, as she looked at Rose. “I… I gotta…”

 

Then, in a scramble, she bolted away, not quite running, but clearly fleeing. “Rey!” Rose squirmed in her seat, trying to follow, but not fast enough, her friend already out the door.

 

Ben shook his head. “I’ll check on her. You stay.”

 

“I don’t know, Rey’s a bit…” Rose hesitated to put a label on the other girl, but Hux nodded and filled in without even knowing either young woman. “It’s okay if she’s shy. Ben might look like a hulking giant, but he’s a teddy bear.”

 

Rose was clearly conflicted, but after sizing Ben up for a moment, she glared at him. “If you hurt a hair anywhere on her, I will carve your skin from your body with a dull box cutter.”

 

Ben, Hux, Poe, and Phasma all stared at the small woman in shock, but then Hux grinned. Leave it to him to find a bloodthirsty Omega.

 

Poe opened his mouth to comment on that, but Ben beat him to it. “Noted.”

 

Then he strode after Rey with the determination of an Alpha who had an Omega to soothe. And then catch.  _ And then make his mate _ . Ben winced, thinking that it was a little soon to be mentally declaring her as his mate.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Rey stood outside the bar, one hand on the wall and leaning into it as she tried to suck air into her lungs. She was somehow both hot and cold, even though she should only be cold as little snow flurries swirled around her feet and she was only in a thin shirt and jeans. She had left her jacket inside in her panic. Her chest felt tight and her head felt heavy, as if her neck didn’t work anymore, her knees rattling as everything seemed to rush at her at once. The lights of the cars on the street were too bright, the music from the bar too loud.

 

And she couldn’t seem to catch her breath.  _ Gonna pass out and die on this dirty sidewalk _ . Was the only thing she was capable of thinking. But that thought was just scaring her more.

 

Her instincts were positively screaming at her, which wasn’t helping. Part of her wanted to go back inside, flirt and make eyes at the handsome Alpha named Ben. But the other half of her was terrified and told her she needed to go hide, build a giant nest in her room and just burrow forever. He had been taller than she had thought, his hand had been so big, and when he stood so close his scent had overwhelmed her and made her head spin.

 

“Just… Okay Rey, get it together. Rose needs her wing-girl. Just, shake it off…” Rey was whispering to herself furiously, her thoughts jumbled, but trying to sort themselves without any success. “Stop it, just stop… You arn’t like this… Why am I like this…?” But it wasn’t helping. “Just. Smile, and breathe, and go pretend to be a normal human for two minutes. You can… you… ” Then her thoughts fell apart again and hot panic rose in her throat. “Oh god, Rose is going to hate me….”

 

Then, a soft sound cut through all her negative thoughts and the sound of the cars and… and everything just got quieter. Someone was behind her, not too close, clearly trying not to scare her, and gently shushing and cooing soothing words.

 

Slowly, ever so slowly, Rey could feel her panicked breathing deepening, her racing heart slowing, and the tremors in her body fading. At least until her body realized it was cold, then she did a full body shudder that made the person behind her chuckle. It was a male sound, and for a moment her fear spiked again, but the voice only hushed gently, a soft rhythmic sound that seemed to seep into her muscles, slowly relaxing them until she was no longer vibrating with tension.

 

“I’m going to put my coat on you, okay?” The voice was comforting, slightly familiar, and Rey nodded, a moment later feeling the heavy weight settle on her shoulders. Along with it was the apple cider scent and the soothing pheromones of an Alpha in protective mode, and her eyes shifted to find Ben at her side, coaxing her arms into his sleeves.

 

“Ben?”

 

He nodded, still focused on working her hands through the too long sleeves of his black leather jacket. “Take a deep breath, Rey.” There was a hint of command in the words, nothing she was compelled to obey, but all the same her body did as he told it, her chest shuddering and stuttering halfway through before expanding fully. “Good girl. Another.”

 

Her scalp tingled at the praise and Rey nodded, doing as he told her. “I’m sorry, I’m not.. I don’t know what is wrong with me…” Just thinking about what had happened in the bar made her start to tense up again, tears filling her eyes, and Ben was quickly rubbing his hands up and down her arms, warming them with the friction and stirring up his soothing scent again.

 

“Shhh, shhh, it’s okay. Nothing is wrong with you.”

 

Rey waved her hand, fanning her face despite the cold, the movement more because of the familiarity of it than actually cooling her face. His voice made her want to believe him, deep and resonant and comforting. It helped that she was surrounded with his scent. But despite the pheremones that were calming her down, he was still making her head spin. “This has never happened before….”

 

He nodded, his eyes dark and intense as he watched her, not acknowledging her whispered words in any other way, until she started to wobble, her legs going to jelly now that the adrenaline and panic was fading. “There it goes… I’ve got you.” Ben caught her as her knees buckled, gently arranging her limbs so he could pick her up, one arm around her back the other under her knees.

 

He slipped in the door as a patron left, hustling her back to the booth and nodded to Rose without taking his eyes off Rey. “You should get her home, I think she had a panic attack.”

 

She could feel him staring at her, so close his gaze nearly burned her skin as it examined her face, but her eyes were unfocused, her head leaned against his solid shoulder. She couldn’t meet that gaze, so she stayed where she was, looking vacantly at the buttons on his shirt, her brow furrowed in confusion. “But I don’t… I’ve never….” Her words were far softer than usual, barely a whisper, and she didn’t recognize it as her own voice.

 

Ben held her a fraction tighter to hush her, bouncing her as if she were a child and looked at Hux. “Call them an Uber.” She wanted to be offended at the way he was treating her, but she was so exhausted and he was so warm and stable, taking control so she didn’t have to, that she didn’t have the will to protest.

 

The redhead nodded, Phasma standing to check on Rey, gently placing the back of her hand on her forehead despite Ben’s protective shift away from the tall blonde. Rose and Hux quickly put each other’s numbers in their phones after ordering a ride home for the girls, and Rose gathered their jackets and purses. Ever talkative Poe was silent for once, though Ben wasn’t sure if that was because he was confused or if it was because Ben and Hux were throwing enough dominant and protective pheromones to threaten a frat house.

 

Ben was reluctant to put Rey down when the Uber arrived, far too quickly for him, as he was enjoying holding her as she became more and more drowsy. If she fell asleep in his arms the first day they met, he would be telling this story to their grandkids. But he put her in the car and gave Rose very specific instructions to text Hux when they were home safe, before turning his attention to the driver. He pre-tipped the young man who smelled like a Beta, and gave him a very serious warning about what would happen if the girls didn’t get home safe. When the man look sufficiently scared, Ben backed away and watched them leave with a dark glower.

 

After a few long minutes, he walked back in the bar, to find Poe asking a thousand questions about what had just happened, Hux lost in his phone with a smile on his face, and Phasma just laughing softly at the spectacle.

 

Meeting Rey had taken less than twenty minutes, but those few minutes were now the start of Ben’s life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I see all your comments about ProtectiveBen! He is the best isn't he? *swoon* Love protective Ben/Kylo

 

When Rey woke up the next morning, barely remembering the drive or Rose putting her to bed, she apologized profusely. To which Rose started apologizing, saying she had no idea Rey would react like that and that she would never push her again. They ended up hugging it out, before Rey demanded Rose spill the beans on Hux.

 

Apparently they had been texting all night. Hux’s name was Armitage and Rose was already calling him Armi and happily giggling every time a text came through.

 

Then Rose demanded to know the details of Rey and Ben’s interactions and Rey was forced to admit her shame at how she had acted. Rose had reassured her that it wasn’t her fault and lots of people had panic attacks. Then they both agreed how much it sucked that Ben had seen it. Not a great first impression on a group of Alphas.

 

“Don’t worry, I have a plan.” Rose grinned, showing Rey a text from Hux about having a little dinner party in a few days.

 

Apparently, Rose’s plan was for Rey to make her specialty cookies, vanilla butter rum that Rose would invariably steal half of, then going over to Ben and Hux’s place for a little get together in two days. Rose thought that Rey would give Ben cookies, they would start courting, and everything would be fine. Rey was certain this was a terrible plan. But to get an Alpha like Ben, she was willing to try almost anything.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ben had taken extra care with both his appearance and his house, getting his hair trimmed and pestering his housekeeper until she swatted him with a rag and chased him out of the laundry room. He and Hux had gone shopping, getting typical party supplies, like chips and sodas, as well as the ingredients to their specialties. It was a point of pride for an Alpha to be able to provide monetarily for their Omega and any children they had, but it was also a pleasure to provide in a more immediate and concrete way.

 

Alphas, at least ones like Hux and Ben, loved to cook. Something about feeding a potential mate was satisfying and soothing. Which was why Poe found the two of them busily preparing and cooking before the party. Ben had already put a prime rib in the oven on a low temperature to cook for a few hours, and was kneading a ball of dough into a loaf, while Hux placed the layers of a lasagna into a large pan.

 

Poe was a different sort of Alpha, the type that expected his Omega to cook for him and barely knew how to reheat canned soup. His mother had doted on him, never letting him lift a finger, and his father had been an Alpha in the military, so whenever he was home, Poe’s mom would do everything. So now he thought that’s what all relationships should be. He spent the time teasing them while snatching little bits and scarfing them down. “So what exactly is the plan here? You present these girls with brisket and that will make them give up their glands?”

 

“Don’t talk about them like that.” Hux grumbled rolling his eyes, and Ben glared at him then shook his head, his arms flexing as he kept pressing and folding the dough. “And it’s not a brisket. It’s just…”

 

Phasma strolled in, placing two bottles of wine on the counter, her mate Mitaka trailing behind her with a salad and a smile. “Oh shut up Poe, it’s not like you have a mate.” Cupping Mitaka’s cheek, the blonde kissed his forehead. “Omega’s like to know an Alpha can do more than fuck them and toss money around.”

 

Ben pointed at Phasma with a flour covered finger in a ‘what she said’ movement, before his hand returned to the dough and his mind focused on how he would approach Rey and what kind of bread she might like. Sure, he could cook meat, his father would skin him if he didn’t know how to make decent proteins, but bread was Ben’s favorite food to make.

 

There was something soothing about the simplicity, it was a strangely effective workout for his arms, and who didn’t love a fresh loaf of bread?

 

The only thing better would be if Rey could see him making it, but that would have to wait. He didn’t want to run the chance of covering himself in flour and dough or not being able to spend time with her. He wanted it ready when she got there, so he could present it to her before casually spending every minute with her. Tossing the soft lump into a bowl to rise, he covered it with film and went to work cleaning up the mess as Hux put this finishing touches on his offering.

 

And that was really what they were doing. Making offerings in an attempt to please and impress the females. Like male birds showing off their feathers, Hux and Ben were showing off their skills, auditioning for the place of Rose and Rey’s mates. 

 

Poe just snorted and rolled his eyes at them while Mitaka chatted with him about the upcoming baseball game, both of them trying to pick out some good ambiance music, and Phasma subtly helped by repositioning a few things to make the house seem cozier. Omegas like cozy things.

 

Two hours later, Ben was just coming down from changing his shirt for the third time, the house filling with the smell of fresh bread and lasagna, when the doorbell rang. Mitaka gave him a thumbs up as he glanced around to see if everything looked perfect and he ran a hand over his hair before remembering he had just combed it.

 

Phasma was kind enough to answer, while Hux and Ben did a quick check of each other, before they headed to the front entryway. “Rose, Rey, so glad you could make it!” Hux grinned, leaning in to give Rose a hug that was eagerly reciprocated, Phasma gently taking a plate out of Rey’s hands after giving her a warm smile and patting her shoulder as they murmured greetings.

 

Ben lurked nearby waiting for a chance to get Rey’s attention, and when Phasma took the plate back to the kitchen, he stepped up next to her, watching how her head flicked around to look up at him. “How are you feeling?”

 

Rey blinked and Ben realized he probably should have said some variation of ‘hello’ first. But then she spoke. “Better. Thank you, by the way. That’s never happened before, and I’m so embarrassed.” She glanced down at her feet then back up at him. “I um, made cookies as a thank you.”

 

Ben perked up, leaning in with a smile, “Oh, do you bake?” He loved sweets, so if she baked too he would be in heaven, already imagining them both covered in flour, their children running around or helping, leaving tiny white powder handprints.

 

“Only a little, mostly cookies.” She blushed, and Ben wanted to lick her collar bone, testing the heat of her skin and reassuring her, but he knew he couldn’t. Not yet. She shrugged and continued speaking as he took her coat. “It’s the only thing I can really make. But Rose will tell you, my vanilla butter rum cookies are the best.”

 

He nodded meeting her eyes with a careful smile, “I’m excited to have some.”

 

He turned after hanging her coat up and felt a shiver go down his spine. She looked edible, in low ankle boots, burgundy leggings, and a loose grey sweater that made her look small. It made him think of what she would look like in one of his shirts, which was not a thought he should be having in the company of his friends.

 

Clearing his throat, he forced his thoughts to safe topics, and motioned to the stairs. “I’ll show you around.”

 

Ben’s grandparents had left him this house and a small inheritance when they passed, and Ben had happily spent his senior year of highschool fixing it up with his dad, then making minor improvements throughout college, Hux an ever present house mate after they met freshman year. Between the two Alphas, the house was a masterpiece, perfect for attracting Omegas and raising young.

 

Ben took her upstairs, showing off his office. He worked from home, remoting in everyday, so he needed the dedicated space. He took her past the open door to Hux’s room, ready to stop her if she tried to go inside but she didn’t show any interest. She glanced around the upstairs guest bath, all white tiles and cool green paint since Hux had cleared out his personal items, before pausing outside his own open door.

 

He swallowed, wondering if she would go inside. She could probably tell by scent but he pointed it out anyway, his voice rumbling more as she peeked around the door jam, his Alpha instincts excited that his mate was at the edge of his bedroom. It was all dark wood floors with area rugs, medium grey walls, and big masculine furniture. The king sized bed took up most of the room.

 

He made it clear she didn’t need to go inside unless she wanted to, casually mentioning there was a master bath if she wanted to see it. She blushed and shook her head. Then he led her down the stairs and through the den, which was set up and ready for them to spend a night playing tabletop games and hanging out like he and his friends usually did.

 

The only difference was that two of the crew were attempting to court Omegas. Phasma and Mitaka were on Poe-patrol, instructed to control him in case he said or did anything inappropriate, while Ben and Hux were going to be going all out to court Rey and Rose.

 

After showing her the area where they would be spending most of the evening, he took her towards the kitchen, showing off the breakfast nook, then the double doors leading out to a grassy but plain backyard, and finally he ended in the kitchen.

 

“And here is where the food is…” Ben glanced up watching in amusement as Hux bragged to Rose about how his lasagna never weighed less than twelve pounds as he put a large square of it on a plate for her. Ben thought that was a strange thing to brag about, but Hux did it often enough that it wasn’t the first time he had heard his friend brag about it, and Rose looked enraptured so it must be working. “Hux made the lasagna, Mitaka and Phasma brought the salad and the wine, and I made prime rib and bread for you.”

 

“Oh… Well, it sounds lovely.”

 

_ You sound lovely… _ Ben restrained himself from saying that thought, but it was true. Rey’s voice was quickly becoming a sound that he was attuned to, and what a beautiful voice it was with its lilting accent, warm tone, and steady pitch. “Let me get you a plate.” Eager to have her eat what he had made for her, he fixed a plate, heavy with a few pieces of the expensive cut of meat, cooked to perfection, a few slices of the fresh bread, still warm and soft and with a generous pad of butter, and only a bare slice of Hux’s lasagna.

 

“That’s way too much…”

 

Ben ignored Rey’s protest that there was no way she could eat all that food, simply reassuring her that she should eat her fill and worst case scenario, “I’ll finish anything you don’t, so no worries.” Sharing a meal was something he was eager to do with her, but she seemed a bit overwhelmed by him again, so he carefully kept his distance after providing her with a large glass of water.

 

As for himself, he filled his own plate with a generous helping of everything, his 6’3” frame didn’t run on love alone after all, and made sure Rey saw him take a handful of her cookies. He also made sure she  _ didn’t  _ see him growl at Poe when the other male made a move towards the meat Ben had made for Rey. Ben was willing to share with Rose if Hux needed, but he was being a bit territorial about other Alphas eating the meat he had made for his Omega. Poe grumbled but turned his attention to the other food. Ben might have felt bad if Poe ever brought anything other than a case of beer.

 

The rest of the night was spent in a variety of games, between the friends they had many, and Ben was pleased to see Rey had almost finished all her food and was happily laughing in his home. Whenever he could, he also made sure he took a bite of her cookies and smiled when she was looking.

 

The others were working like a well oiled machine, making sure Rey and Rose were paired up with Ben and Hux for team games, and conspiring to get everyone sitting next to their prospective mates. Things went well, despite Poe trying to throw a wrench in the works by being Poe.

 

He saw more of her personality during the games. She kicked ass at pictionary. She giggled and blushed her way through a game of cards against humanity and Ben picked all his cards just to make her laugh, uncaring if he won. Zombie dice was a hit, and Ben was surprised at how often Rey pushed her luck, having expected her to be more cautious, and winked at her as he snuck her brain counters. She was still shy and nervous with him, but he didn’t mind.

 

He managed to get Rey’s number as the evening wound to a close, ignoring the fact that she gave it to everyone in the group, and he sent her home with the rest of the prime rib and bread, mentioning how pleased he would be if she ate it. He also was able to get a hug thanks to Phasma. Genius that she was, she started giving hugs as she left and Ben was able to continue it so that he got to wrap his arms around her once before the night ended.

 

Overall, he thought his courting of her was going well.

 

Not as well as Hux and Rose though, as she came back after fifteen minutes, saying she had dropped off Rey and wanted to talk to Hux a little more. Without so many people around. Ben ended up sleeping with earplugs in while wondering if Rey was okay in her apartment alone.

 

If he had known Rose was going to spend the night he would have offered Rey the guest room, or the couch. Or his heart.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you like GoodProviderBen? He's cute right?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lookout, rough times and surprises ahead!

 

Rose and Hux were official after three weeks; so official that Hux was looking for a house so he could move out of Ben’s place and move Rose in with him while they planned their mating ceremony. Rose tried to be helpful to Rey’s pursuit of Ben, but she was mostly caught up in freshly mated brain, all lovey-dovey and disgustingly cute about Hux. Hux was disgustingly cute about her too, but Rey didn’t have to hear about it. Only see it.

 

Rey wasn’t sure what to make of Ben. He was all Alpha; big and strong, loud and confident. Protective. She had seen him get aggressive at the bar when someone had spilled a drink on her. He glared at every Alpha that came near. And yet no matter what she and Rose thought up, he didn’t take the bait. Specifically, he didn’t make any moves on Rey or do any of the courting rituals that Rey was familiar with.

 

Rey had made cookies more times than she could count, in a variety of flavors. Ben turned around and made dinner for everyone, even at Rose and Rey’s apartment a few times. She got him a scarf for Christmas that she carefully scented on her glands, not too much so it was obvious but not so little that he wouldn’t notice. He got her a humidifier. Admittedly, she had been complaining about how dry the apartment was and how she had been getting nosebleeds, but still… Who got someone they were interested in a humidifier? Where were the flowers and the scented clothing and declarations of love?

 

Rey tried leaving a few choice items around Ben and Hux’s place, since she was there so often visiting Rose it was plausible that she forgot things. But everytime, Ben had her things neatly hung up or placed by the front door, eager to be rid of them. She had hoped he would secretly keep a few items to scent during his ‘private times’ or to make his room smell like her; at least then she would know he was interested, if a bit shy for an Alpha. The few times he had forgotten an item at her place, he seemed in no hurry to come see her under the guise of getting it back, just shrugging and saying he would come around next time.

 

He mentioned a book he was looking for, the bookstore he frequented was sold out, and Rey scoured the city to find it. It was a cheap book, but still hard to find. He had been appreciative, and the next time she saw him, he gifted her three pairs of fuzzy socks and a set of polkadot mugs in thanks.

 

He never asked her out, never tried kiss her, and never initiated more physical contact than a hug when they arrived, putting his arm around her shoulders when she sat next to him on the couch, or touching her back to guide her when the group went out. Once he had carefully tucked a blanket around her calves during a movie night. When they got home that night, Rey and Rose had joked that it might as well be third base.

 

So now, it was time for the big guns according to Rose. So the group planned an outing to a dance club, Poe’s fling-of-the-week worked as a server there, and Rose dressed her as sexily as Rey could tolerate. It wasn’t all that sexy, but the skirt was a little shorter, the heels a little higher, and her bra a little more padded. Rey was either going to get Ben to ask her out tonight, or she was going to give up.

 

Rose and Rey arrived first, and Rose immediately got Rey a shot for courage. Rey was already getting a bit more attention than usual, the Alphas in the bar taking notice thanks to her outfit and the fact that she had pulled her hair up, baring her neck in a bold move that made her Omega scent more obvious. Now if only Ben would notice.

 

By the time the others arrived, Ben, Hux, and Poe with his latest conquest named Malo, Rey and Rose had a beer in hand and were swaying together to the music.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ben swallowed tightly at the sight of Rey. Always beautiful, tonight she was pure temptation, dressed in a way that left little to the imagination thanks to the body hugging dress. He strode over, nodding to Hux to get him a drink, before standing protectively at her back while he stared down every single male that was looking at her. Rose was in less danger, with a prominent mating mark on her neck and smelling like Hux, but Rey…

 

Rey had barely given him a chance to scent her, let alone mark her. It was driving him crazy. Every time he invited her over, she brought Rose. And while it was nice to spend time with the other couple, Ben hadn’t managed to advance his relationship with Rey beyond putting his arm around her, and was hesitant to try anything in front of the others with Rey as skittish as she was.

 

Rey was shy with him, despite him learning that in nearly all other situations, she was bold and self-assured. He had seen her argue with a vender at the farmers market about the quality of the peppers, had smirked in amusement when she shut Poe’s shenanigans down with witty but firm remarks, and he had even seen her get worked up and shout at the TV once when they had been watching a political comedy show while Ben and Hux cooked dinner. She was a firecracker during game night.

 

It was cute that his little Omega behaved differently around him, it made Ben feel like she gave him a vulnerable part of herself that she didn’t share with anyone else, but it was also frustrating. He wanted to move at a speed that made her comfortable while still making progress, but she was barely moving at all.

 

Oh, sure, she gave him plenty of little gifts, her thoughtfulness making him rumble in satisfaction every time he saw one around his house. She had staked a claim on his home by regularly leaving her things there, and he promptly put them in the entryway, hung like they belonged there so that the moment anyone walked in they could see and smell that there was a woman in Ben’s life. She staked a claim on him by giving him a scarf, and he had nearly scooped her up and carried her to his bed when he realized she had rubbed it on her glands, only his worry about frightening her again stopped him. Instead, he had ordered the best humidifier he could find so she would stop having nose bleeds.

 

He wore that scarf constantly, using it to ward away any curious Omegas, and pointing it out to any Beta girls who tried to flirt, quick to say “My Omega got me this scarf, isn’t it great?” The scent was fading but, it was still there. He wasn’t sure what he would do when it got too hot to wear it, but he hoped by then she would be living with him and everything he owned would smell like her.

 

“Ben!” He glanced down when she cried out his name, realizing he was there after a moment, turning to look at him and he diverted his attention from where he had been glaring at a particularly bold Alpha. He looked to be college age, around the same as Rey, and he was brave since he was with a fairly large group, refusing to drop his gaze when Ben stared at him.

 

Placing a gentle hand on Rey’s lower back, he turned her slightly more towards him, wrapping her in a brief hug, glancing over her head to make sure the other male saw. But Rey just smiled up at him and reached out to stroke the lapel of his jacket. “You are here!”

 

Ben smiled down at her, the expression soft and reassuring, “Of course, you invited me. I love going out with you.”

 

She giggled and Ben felt a crease form between his eyes, scanning her. He and Hux had only been a few minutes late, less than ten, and yet it seemed like she was tipsy. “How long have you been here?”

 

Rey hummed, and Ben wished she would make the sound against his neck, but instead stroked his fingers up and down the curve of her spine. “Not long. Rose got me a shot, though!” She smiled up at him as if that was the most amazing gift, and Ben couldn’t help but chuckle, though he would be having words with Rose later. He didn’t like the idea of Rey getting drunk, especially when he wasn’t around.

 

He leaned in to speak in her ear over the din of the club. “Have you had dinner?”

 

She shook her head and sipped at her beer, turning her attention to the song that had just come on. “Oh, I love this one!”

 

Ben would definitely be giving Rose a stern lecture about giving his mate alcohol on an empty stomach. Before he could get more worked up over that, Rey was tugging him out to the dance floor, laughing and bouncing excitedly.

 

She turned to him, smiled sweetly, and then began dancing, rubbing against him in a thoroughly distracting way.  _ Maybe I won’t lecture Rose… _ Though he wasn’t happy it took alcohol to get Rey comfortable around him, he was pleased to see her having fun and relaxing.

 

And honestly, this was the most he had been able to feel her and he wasn’t going to waste the opportunity. When this dance was over he was going to get some food and water into her, but until then…

 

He slipped the half empty beer bottle out of her hand, passing it off to a waitress walking by, before wrapping his forearms around her back, tugging her close and rubbing his nose into her hair as they swayed. Her cheek settled against his chest and shoulder, one of her arms around his waist the other hooked over his bicep, and Ben was in heaven.

 

She smelled so good, and felt so right in his arms.

 

They stayed like that for a while, dancing slowly no matter the music, until her foot stumbled and Ben snapped out of his daze and into his instinctual need to take care of her. “Okay, come on sweetheart, let’s get something in your stomach,” guiding her towards their group of friends.

 

But she shook her head, stubbornly planting her feet with a pout. “Nu-uh, I wanna dance some more.”

 

Gently stroking the skin of her wrist with his thumb, he tugged her with him, watching as she took tiny hesitant steps. “I’ll dance with you in a little bit, now come on.” Ben felt his mouth quirk up, her grumpy face so cute, but he continued to coax her toward their friends.

 

She grumbled, but followed him as he led her through the crowd, pressing into his side as he slid into the booth next to Hux and raised a hand to get the server’s attention. He had just finished ordering a pitcher of water and some chicken strips, not an ideal meal for his girl but better than nothing, when he felt pressure on his neck. Specifically, her wrist gland on his throat gland.

 

Electric shock tore through him at the realization of what she was doing, the current going straight to his dick and making it painfully hard, and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head.

 

She was scenting him. Right here, in front of their friends, in a sketchy dance club. This was not how Ben had wanted this to happen, not the first time, and Rose was definitely getting a lecture about letting Rey drink on an empty stomach.

 

Turning his head, he looked down at Rey, unable to stop the hungry look on his face as the smell of her mingled with the scent of him, her sweet eyes looking up at him with a nervous quiver. His mouth dropped open and without thought, he exhaled, the rasping rolling chuff of affection loud at the table.

 

Her eyes widened, a small smile starting at the corners of her mouth as a pink blush tinted her cheeks, but then Hux barked out a laugh. “Guys, save it for the bedroom!” He laughed, and Rose slapped his arm, glaring at him as Ben dropped his mouth to Rey’s ear. Whispering softly, “You can’t do that,” and Rey squeaked, pulling away and excusing herself to the bathroom. Rose grumbled, muttering to her mate before shoving her way out of the booth and following her friend.

 

Hux was chuckling, watching them go as he sipped his whisky, when Ben slid over and grabbed his shirt, yanking them face to face with a growl. “If you ever interrupt again, best friend or not, I’m beating the shit out of you.”

 

Hux blinked, his neck craning back to give him some space from Ben, wiping at the spilled booze on his wrist, and grumbled, “What’s the big deal? It was just a joke...”

 

Ben growled again, the pitch of it low and menacing, rumbling in his words as he spoke. “That’s the first time she scented me, you shithead.” Though he and Hux had been friends the better part of ten years, there were still some things Ben was not comfortable sharing with the other man. So he hadn’t told him how slowly things had been going with Rey, and he allowed Hux to make assumptions.

 

Hux’s eyes went even wider and his voice dropped to a whisper and he leaned in. “What?! You guys have been dating for like a month and a half, how have you not scented each other yet?”

 

Ben shook his head, his eyes on where the girls had gone, but Hux kept pushing. “How do you have sex without scenting each other?” He paused, “And I’ve smelled her on you, it can't be the first time!”

 

Gritting his teeth, Ben muttered, “Don’t talk about it like that.” Then he shrugged. “She gave me that scarf… She put her scent on it.”

 

Hux sat back, staring at him. “You mean… You haven’t had sex with her yet?!”

 

“Keep your fucking voice down!”

 

Hux glanced around, but obeyed. “How far have you gone with her?”

 

Ben crossed his arms over his chest, avoiding eye contact. “I’m not having this conversation with you.”

 

“Just shake your head yes or no.” Ben refused to look at Hux and the redhead growled, “Look, I can't help you if I don’t know what is going on.”

 

Finally, after a long silence, Ben nodded.

 

“Okay… You haven’t had sex, have you, ugh…  _ tasted  _ each other?”

 

Ben shook his head.

 

“Hands?” And Ben’s confused look, Hux rolled his eyes. “Have you fingered her? Has she given you a handjob?”

 

Ben nearly choked at the thought, wishing they had gotten that far, but he shook his head.

 

“Making out?”

 

Another shake of his dark head.

 

Hux’s voice had risen in pitch, shocked and tight as he kept going. “Kissing?!”

 

Ben growled, shaking his head, “I’ve put my arm around her…”

 

“Ben… I don’t want to tell you how to live your life, but….” Hux let out a long low whistle. “You gotta do something. At this rate, you’ll be lucky to be mated by the time you are eighty.”

 

“Look, she had a fucking panic attack the first time we met. I don’t want to scare her!”

 

Hux rolled his eyes, swallowing the last of his whisky. “There is going slow so you don’t scare her, and then there is…. Jesus, I don’t even have a good analogy for you two... Glaciers?” Hux shook his head, muttering about how he didn’t know how Ben was surviving. " Have you talked to her about this?"

 

“You think I should?”

 

“YES!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did/do you see the twist coming? Things are getting fun!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up, it's the last chapter and its the longest one yet, filled with (hopefully) funny moments and satisfying smut. However will our moronic space-lovers get it together?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, there is Smut. This is your warning in case the rating wasn't enough.

Rey whimpered, sniffling as Rose dabbed at her eyes with tissue, the two girls whispering to each other in the dank but blissfully empty bathroom. “Rose, I think it’s time to throw in the towel. Did you see how he reacted when I scented him?”

 

Rose grimaced, nodding sympathetically. “I know sweetie. I don’t get it. Armie says Ben is really into you.” In the beginning when Rey had been hopeful, they had talked about how great it would be; being best friends mated to two best friends, raising their kids together, maybe finding a way to live within walking distance of each other. Having a double wedding.

 

But after nearly two months of trying to get Ben’s attention, Rey was pretty sure it was time to give up. He had just rejected her scenting him. “I don’t think Hux is right.”

 

With a sigh, both girls went silent, Rose unsure what to say to reassure her and Rey too heartbroken to come up with another plan. The new plan was to give up. Rey wasn’t going to be one of those Omegas who couldn’t let go of an uninterested Alpha. Ben had been very sweet, careful to not crush her feelings and putting up with all her obvious attempts at flirting and courting him, but he had now made it clear he wasn’t interested.

 

So, once Rose was satisfied that Rey didn’t look like she had been crying in the bathroom, they walked out and started to say their goodbyes when Ben interrupted. “Rose, stay with Hux. I’ll take Rey home.”

 

Rey and Rose started to protest, but Hux gave his mate a shake of his head and she quieted down in confusion, sitting next to him and trading weighted glances. Without Rose to back her up Rey wasn’t sure how to protest, and let him lead her outside, glancing over her shoulder at Rose who was now in deep conversation with Hux.

 

Ben opened the door to his car, helping her in, before going around to his side and starting the engine. They drove in silence, until Rey realized they were not heading towards her apartment. Instead they were taking the roads leading to Ben and Hux’s house.

 

“Why are you taking me to your place?”

 

Ben glanced over at her, sliding his hand from the gearshift to her wrist, giving her a light squeeze before turning his attention back to the road. “Because you are upset, tipsy, and haven’t had dinner, so I’m going to make something for you to eat and we are going to talk.”

 

Rey sniffled, rubbing her nose on her jacket sleeve and wishing she were not so sensitive about Ben. This would be easier if she didn’t want him so bad it hurt. “It’s okay, you made it pretty clear you don’t like it.”

 

Ben’s brow furrowed and he glanced at her as the streetlight ghosted over their faces. “What?”

 

“When I…” She motioned vaguely towards her wrist and his neck and he nodded in understanding. “I won’t do it again.”

 

He sighed, “Rey, that’s not that I don’t like it…” He huffed in frustration, he didn’t want to have this conversation in the car. “Let me feed you, sober you up, and we can figure this out, okay? I don’t want to fight.”

 

Rey sighed, flopping back against the headrest and turning her face away to stare out the window as the world passed by. She already knew how this conversation was going to go. ‘We can be friends,’ and ‘Rose and Hux are mated so don’t make it weird.’

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ben worked in silence, watching Rey curl up on his couch as if she expected him to kick her out into the night, looking small and sad. Every time he spoke, she only nodded or shook her head, so he gave up trying until he could devote all his attention to her. He made a quick BLT on wheat, extra bacon, cutting it into triangles the way she liked, and brought it and a big glass of water to the couch, placing it on the coffee table as he settled next to her.

 

He rubbed his palms on his jeans for a moment, leaning forward as he made eye contact, elbows on his knees. “You know I would never hurt you, right?” He waited, watching her nod with the saddest look on her face, and he reached out, his big hand catching hers. “I don’t mind moving slow, but…”

 

“I would like to speed things up, at least a little, in private… Whatever you are comfortable with.” Ben watched Rey shiver and pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and drape it over her shoulders as he spoke. “I think we need to talk about ground rules so this doesn’t happen again.”

 

There was a pause when Rey went still, a flash of confusion on her face before she looked at him. “What are you talking about?”

 

Ben prompted her, nudging the sandwich into her hand and watching her roll her eyes as she took a bite before he said anything. “About… us… Our relationship?” 

 

Rey groaned, chewing and swallowing before she gave him the sassiest look he had ever seen. “Ben, we don’t  _ have  _ a relationship. That’s the problem.” She took a gulp of water, washing the crumbs out of her mouth as Ben stared at her in shock. “I’ve been trying to get you to ask me out since the night Rose dragged me over to your table.”

 

Ben stared at her, his eyes wide.  _ What?! _ She…. He…. But they had been…. “What?!”

 

Rey squinted, rubbing her forehead as she took another bite of the sandwich. “I get it, you don’t like me that way. Don’t worry, I’ll be cool, and you are right, we should have ground rules since we obviously are going to be around each other with Rose and Hux being mated….”

 

Ben swallowed the lump of confusion and jumped in, his voice hesitant. “But… I… Of course I like you, you are my girlfriend!”

 

For a moment, Rey and Ben just stared at each other, then in a burst of sound, they both started talking at the same time, Rey standing up as Ben sat on the couch staring at her.

 

“How can you think I’m your girlfriend?”

 

Ben frowned, “We’ve been dating since before Christmas.”

 

“You never asked me out!” Rey’s arms flew out in exasperation.

 

In response, one of Ben’s arms motioned wildly. “Do you think I buy all my friends humidifiers?”

 

“A humidifier isn’t a DATE, Ben, it isn’t even a romantic gift!”

 

“You come over all the time and I cook for you!”

 

Rey stomped her foot. “You cook for everyone!”

 

“Only because you kept bringing Rose with you, and it would be rude not to!” Ben jumped up but didn’t move any closer to her, his body stiff with tension.

 

“What did you think I was doing when I was flirting with you?”

 

“FLIRTING with me, like a girlfriend does! Why else would you find that book for me?” Ben’s eyes flicked to the bookshelf where her gift sat in a place of honor.

 

Rey grit her teeth, roughly emphasizing her words. “I was TRYING to get you to  _ ASK ME OUT _ !”

 

“Do your friends buy you blankets? I don’t want anyone but me buying you blankets...” Ben felt himself bristling at the idea of other men buying her comfy things to snuggle in.

 

“No, but a blanket STILL isn’t a date!”

 

Ben was breathing hard now, “I was trying to be a good Alpha!”

 

“Then why didn’t you ever kiss me?” Rey’s voice dropped, sadness on her face as their words slowed.

 

“You had a panic attack the night we met, I didn’t want you scared of me.”

 

Rey sucked in a breath, unsure what to say after that because… It was true. She could see it in his face that he had been terrified of scaring her. And she did have a panic attack that night, first and only one so far. If that hadn’t happened, where would they be right now? Mated like Rose and Hux?

 

Her hand shook as she rubbed her mouth, “Oh my god….”

 

Ben dropped back onto the couch, his head in his hands, groaning, “What a fucking mess…”

 

“So if…” Rey bit her lip, crossing her arms nervously as she kicked her toe against the rug, “I mean, do you want to… be…”

 

Ben shot to his feet, crossing to her in less than two steps, his arms wrapping around her shoulders as her hands flattened on is chest. “Yes, yeah, anything you want, but you have to say it.” He bumped his forehead to hers, “I can’t stand another mistake like this.”

 

“So…” Rey bit her lip and Ben groaned, one broad hand sliding up her back to grip the nape of her neck. “I’ll be your… um girlfriend?” She huffed, giggling as Ben nuzzled against her temple, practically pushing her head around with the force of his affection. “And you will be my boyfriend….”

 

“Better.” Ben grunted, nodding, his arms going around her. “You’re my Omega, and I’m your Alpha.”

 

Rey glanced at him, her small smile growing, and she shyly nodded. Then squealed as he hoisted her up into his arms, carrying her bridal style up the stairs and into his room. Sliding her down until her feet were on the floor, Ben kissed her forehead. “I don’t think we should… do anything tonight, since you’ve been drinking. But I’d love it if you slept in my bed. I told Hux not to come back for a night or two.”

 

Rey glanced down, fiddling with the hem of her short dress, before looking back up at him. “Can I borrow a shirt?”

 

Ben nodded, swallowing roughly, backing away slowly before turning to get a t-shirt out of his drawers. Handing it to her, he motioned to the bathroom and Rey slowly walked away, looking over her shoulder at him, neither of them wanting to lose sight of the other until the door closed.

 

Ben hurried to strip off his jeans, shirt, and socks leaving him in just his boxer-briefs, making sure they landed in the hamper instead of next to it, then immediately wondered if he should put his shirt back on or if he should get under the comforter to hide his insistent erection. He had said he didn’t need to do anything tonight, and though true, he also desperately wished she were sober so they could.

 

Before he could second guess himself any more, the door clicked open to reveal Rey, all long tanned legs topped with his dark t-shirt, the hem ending mid thigh, and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. She held a green unopened toothbrush in her hand so he could see it, “Is this toothbrush for me?”

 

He nodded, watching her as she tucked her chin with a small smile, closing the door again and he heard the sound of water and what must be her brushing her teeth, and he realized he couldn’t get in the bed yet, since he needed to do his teeth as well. So he stood awkwardly outside the door, waiting for it to open. When it did, he nodded to the bed, murmuring for her to make herself comfortable, and sidled past her into the bathroom.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Rey watched him go with wide eyes and hot butterflies in her stomach. She had known Ben was tall and broad, and when she had seen his arms in short sleeves, he had muscles… All of which made her go warm and wobbly inside, but that was nothing compared to the sight of him in just his underwear.

 

She exhaled hard and her legs gave out just as she sat on his bed. That man kept making her weak in the knees. He was all muscles and abs and chesty bits. Licking her lips, Rey shook her head, trying to focus. He would be out of the bathroom soon.

 

So she pulled back his thick comforter and blankets, swung her legs in and snuggled down, pulling the thick fabric over herself. Now she was surrounded in his scent, the surface of the fabric cool against her skin, but not too cold thanks to the heat of the house. She shivered, her face getting hot at the thought that she was in Ben’s bed, wearing nothing but his shirt, and he was going to sleep with her.

 

She had just rolled onto her side, one arm folded under the pillow her head was on, when the bathroom door clicked open. Ben came out, looking over for her and smiling when he saw her tucked into his bed. He hesitated, then crawled in, lifting the blankets and settling next to her, on his side mirroring her position.

 

There was a bit of space between them, but not much, Ben’s face inching onto Rey’s pillow as they silently stared at each other.

 

Ben broke the silence. “I know we agreed not to do anything tonight, but…” Rey licked her lips, hopeful and wide-eyed, and the movement distracted Ben for a split second. His voice was slightly rougher when he spoke again, a sheepish look on his face. “Can I kiss you? I feel like we have wasted so mu-”

 

Rey lunged forward, catching him mid-word as she planted her mouth against his, kissing him clumsily. Ben groaned, and his arms went around her waist, rolling back so that she was above him, his plush lips eagerly pressing against her.

 

But after a moment, he chuckled, gently separating them. “Slow down, Sweet. Here, let me...”

 

Rey whimpered, hating that she didn’t know what to do, that he had pulled away from her, and felt embarrassment roll through her. Ben nuzzled her and rolled her onto her back, carefully holding himself above her as most of his body lay alongside hers. Butting his forehead against her cheek he chuckled, “Let me know if… if anything is too much.”

 

Rey groaned, her hands coming up to cover her face. “Oh, god, I’m never going to live that panic attack down. I’m not fragile, Ben!”

 

But then he was kissing her, and she might as well have been made of glass for how quickly he shattered her sense of control. His mouth was soft but firm, kissing her with a restrained desperation until she gasped. Then he swept inside, his tongue flicking over hers, sliding between her lips and teeth as he tasted her mouth. Whimpering, she tilted her head up, trying to participate and she caught his tongue, sucking at it softly.

 

He groaned, his chest vibrating as he pressed his body over hers, flooding her senses with pure Ben and making her back flex to push up against him. His hand shifted, palming her spine and pressing her closer. Rey was dizzy with him, and the sensation was so close to the first night they met that for a moment, she worried that she was going to have another panic attack. How could he be her Alpha if he made her freak out anytime he got close to her?

 

But then, instead of the dizziness feeling scary, it felt… good. Fun like a carnival ride. Just like the night they met, she was hot and cold, and seeing spots as the whole world rushed at her too fast and too loud, the only thing keeping her grounded was the feel of Ben. That was what had been missing when they first met, the feel of him keeping her pieces together. She was clinging tight to his broad shoulders as his mouth slid down her neck, nuzzling and kissing her throat, breathing deeply of her glands… And then everything snapped, her whole world changing focus, and she felt a wave of rightness.

 

Her Omega instincts had bonded to him. “Oh my god…!”

 

Ben jerked away, his eyes nearly black as he stared at her with worry. “What, what’s wrong?”

 

Rey blinked, staring up at him as if she had never seen him before, her eyes tracing his face with a new fondness that filled her with warmth. “I didn’t have a panic attack!” She grinned, “The night we met? It wasn’t panic, it was my body trying to bond to you!”

 

Staring at her, his mouth partially open and panting lightly, he blinked. “You’ve never bonded before?”

 

Rey shook her head. Bonding happened when an Alpha and an Omega were courting potential mates, before true mating bites were exchanged. It could happen any time, to test whether the couple were compatible or not. Since Rey had never dated an Alpha, she had never done it before.

 

“So… You’ve never-” He cleared his throat, “ _ been _ with an Alpha before?” Ben’s voice was strained, his face tight as he looked down at her.

 

Blushing, she nodded. “I’ve never been with… anyone before…”

 

Ben leapt out of the bed as if it were on fire, pacing the floor between the bed and the bathroom, roughly rubbing his hands over his face. “Rey… You’re a virgin?!” He swallowed, his movements jerky and despite the embarrassing situation, Rey couldn’t help watching how the huge bulge under his boxers bounced with every step. “You can’t just… spring information like that on me, sweetheart.” He growled, backing away now until his back pressed to the wall, staring at her with hungry eyes. “I should go sleep in the guest room.”

 

Confused, and more than a little hurt, Rey felt herself curling in, her voice shaky. “You’re mad?”

 

The sound that tore out of his chest did funny things to her and when she shifted, there was a distinct wet feeling between her legs. “God no, Rey, I’m not mad, but…”

 

He grunted, looking up at the ceiling before screwing his face up and closing his eyes tight. “Knowing that… I don’t think I could stop at kissing you.” He banged his head roughly against the wall, the dull thud making Rey wince, but a soft hopeful bubble was rising in her chest.

 

Finding courage she didn’t know she had, Rey spoke softly, coaxingly, her voice low and deep. “Ben…” His breath stuttered and she said his name again, using the seductive tone she had heard on TV shows, and his head slowly tipped down to look at her. “What if I don’t want you to stop?”

 

His jaw flexed, mouth tight, and he took a dazed step towards her. “You… You’ve been drinking… we shouldn’t…” His voice was soft and breathy, as if in a trance.

 

“You fed me, took care of me... I’m not drunk, Ben.” Sitting up slowly, she bit her lip, before holding out her hand to him. “Come to bed… my Alpha.” She hesitated before saying it, but his response told her it had been the right thing to say.

 

He shuddered, his knee sliding onto the bed, as he whispered her name. “Rey…”

 

She slid her hand from his shoulder to the back of his neck, tugging him with her as she lay back in the pillows, feeling his big body cage over her, his elbows planting in the bed near her shoulders, his knees pushing between her legs.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ben was having an out of body experience. He could feel everything that was happening, could see it all, but it felt like he had no control, his body on auto-pilot as his mind took a little vacation to Alpha-land. The dominant, controlling, protective, possessive part of him was in control now.

 

His Omega had called him to bed. His untouched mate didn’t want him to stop.

 

Growling, his thighs flexed, spreading her legs and making the borrowed shirt ride up her hips, and he watched her gasp in surprise before diving to kiss her mouth. He devoured her slowly, then kissed his way down his neck, his teeth scraping over her throat gland until she shivered and whimpered under him.

 

Rumbling in pleasure, he braced his weight on one hand, reaching down with his other to pull the shirt up. As his fingers skated over the skin of her thigh, then the dip where it met her hip, he realized she wasn’t wearing any underwear. Grunting, he jerked the fabric up more roughly, rearing back to see if he was right.

 

“You were going to sleep next to me, in my shirt, without any underwear?” The question came out with a rough accusing tone, and Rey shivered, suddenly looking more contrite and less seductive.

 

He shoulders hunched, her face tipping down shyly. “I thought, even if not tonight… Tomorrow morning?”

 

His breath huffed and he pushed the shirt up. “Take this off.” She sat up, her slim arms folding and bending to pull the shirt off as he dropped lower, his mouth kissing her belly and making her quiver. He knew she was looking at him, quietly nervous and he slid one hand up her middle, pushing her to lay flat. “You know you’re mine, don’t you? After this?”

 

She gasped, and he nipped at the soft skin below her belly button, his fingers drifting between her legs. “Ben, pleaseeee…” Her voice whispered, the tone begging, the sound he had been wishing to hear since the moment they met.

 

“Say it.” He traced the crease of her entrance and she shivered, her weight shifting only for him to growl softly.

 

She huffed, a frustrated but slightly amused sound, and he grinned. She was so cute. “Yes, yes I’m yours.”

 

_ Damn right! _ His mind supplied, grunting in approval and lowering his mouth to her sex. His finger teased her entrance, testing it, before attempting to push inside. She was wet, but it wasn’t until his finger opened her that her arousal spilled out. He groaned, eyes closing in bliss at the taste of her, his tongue quickly finding her clit and lavishing it with attention as he worked his finger deeper. She whimpered and squirmed, so responsive he didn’t even want to stop her.

 

She was so tight, and so hot, and the scent of her was incredible, sending Ben to another plane of existence. Nothing mattered but the way she cooed, how her hips bucked into his mouth, and the feel of her fingers gripping his hair and nails digging into his scalp. He had no idea how long he stayed there, hooking his arm around her hips, licking and sucking as his fingers explored her passage, but it would never be enough time.

 

He only stopped when Rey was mewling and squirming away, her thighs twisting to escape his attention as her hands pushed his head away, her perfect cunt probably tender and sensitive.

 

Crawling up her body, when he spoke his voice sounded like someone else. Some powerful Alpha that probably had dozens of Omegas panting after him, instead of laid back Ben Solo. “You okay?”

 

She nodded, despite her broken words. “Too much, too much...It feels… I’ve never…”

 

He chuckled, his fingers sliding out of her, but never leaving her. He stroked over her outer lips, spreading her slick and feeling how puffy and swollen with arousal she was, his inner Alpha beating his chest over her responses. “Are you ready?”

 

She nodded, and he murmured praise in her ear, a string of ‘good girl’ and ‘my little Omega’ mixed with compliments about how good she smelled and how perfect her pussy was, as he took his cock in hand, stroking slowly before he shoved off his boxers and reached for a condom.

 

But she shook her head, dragging his hand back to her skin. “I’m safe. Pill.”

 

Gritting his teeth, hating his inner gentleman for what he was about to say, he shook his head. “Sweetheart, do you have any idea…” He groaned, burying his face in her neck as she wrapped her legs around his waist, even as he tried to hold his hips away. “I’m not sure you would be safe even with a condom, but I guarantee your meds aren't strong enough.” A compatible Alpha/Omega pair, even with suppressants and birth-control medication was extremely fertile.

 

“I’m yours aren’t I?’ Rey whispered in his ear, her breath ghosting over his skin and he shuddered, hips bucking without his permission until his cock brushed her core. “Make me your Omega…”

 

Ben was only so strong. If his Omega wanted to be pumped full of his cum, who was he to deny her?

 

Groaning, in one smooth move, her gripped himself, lining up and pushing into her slowly. “Shit, Oh god, Rey, I don’t… I don’t know if I can be gentle, I’m so sorry…” She felt too good, too perfect, everything he dreamed his mate would feel like only better.

 

A slim hand cupped his jaw and he met her eyes. “I know you can, Alpha. You’ll take care of me.”

 

And suddenly, he could be as gentle as she needed.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Rey was braced under Ben, breathless and shaky as he pushed into her. She would swear she could feel every crease of his skin as he sank into her, every sensation magnified by his earlier attention, when he grunted out those words, sounding so concerned and ashamed of himself.

 

“Shit, Oh god, Rey, I don’t… I don’t know if I can be gentle, I’m so sorry…”

 

But Ben had never once pushed her, never frightened her, never been rough with her. Even when he thought they were dating, and yet hadn’t even kissed after over a month, he never had shown frustration or anger at her. He said he would never hurt her. She had never believed anyone when they said that, but Ben? He would be as gentle as she needed if she told him. “I know you can, Alpha. You’ll take care of me.”

 

He nodded, and she felt his whole body posture change, as if he was more in control but without the tension. Then he slid his arms around her, pushing deeper as she clung to him.

 

It felt so strange but natural, her body moving in a way it never had but was always meant to, spreading and stretching for him. It didn’t quite hurt, but she was so sensitive, his every move made her face scrunch up and her mouth drop open, her nerve endings on pleasurable fire. Every time she flinched or whimpered he would stop, nuzzling her gently and shifting his hips side to side, waiting until she relaxed before he moved again.

 

Finally his body nestled close to hers, and he whispered that he was in, but she could only nod, feeling so full and satisfied she thought she might burst. And then his hips tilted back pulling out, and she moaned, sounding like the raunchiest porno, and one hand flew up, slapping a hand over her mouth as she stared at him in shock.

 

“Oh, oh my Omega likes that.” He grinned, and suddenly he was shifting his weight in a regular rhythm, thrusting deep and pulling back in a gentle movement, and even with her hand over her mouth, she couldn’t stop the noises she was making.

 

Ben smirked, one hand catching her wrist and pulling her hand away, pinning it over her head. “I need to hear my mate if I’m going to please her.”

 

His pace changed, adding a harder thrust in after every few gentle rocking movements and Rey had never felt so out of control, her body not her own and only responding to him.

 

Her body arched, winding tighter and tighter in a more intense version of what happened when she fingered her clit alone in her room. “Ben! Be- I’m… ”

 

“Good Omega, come on your Alpha’s cock…” He growled, the rough gravely tone sending shivers down her spine and a moment later she screamed, pulsing on him in the most intense orgasms she had ever felt. She’d always thought that movies and the internet were lying; no one sounded like that, orgasms were never so good that she would miss class or have sex with random Alphas, and nothing she had ever felt sounded like what friends described.

 

Black danced around her vision and she felt Ben thrust hard, before she felt his cock swell, his knot locking them together as he pulsed jets of hot sperm into her. She clung to him, nearly sobbing, and only calmed when he repeatedly assured her, in a soft voice, that he would never ever leave her.

 

Hours later, long after his knot had unlocked and they had napped, he stroked her back and worshiped her skin. “I love you. I would do anything for you, Rey.” He kissed her gland, and the fresh mating mark there(a matching one on his throat), and Rey laughed happily as he rubbed his glands on her again, for what must be the hundredth time. "Ground rules; we talk and love each other forever."

 

“Deal.” She returned the favor until they couldn’t separate their scents, Ben smelling as much like Rey as she did, and Rey so covered in Ben’s Alpha scent that no one could ever mistake her for a single Omega ever again. “Because I love you too.” Then she smirked, "Ground rules; you buy actual romantic presents now and then."

 

"Deal."


End file.
